Milk testing apparatus



Dec. 2, 1941. J. s. LosEE 2,264,445

MILK TESTING APPARATUS 6770EA/ V .L s. LosEE 2,264,445

MILK TESTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 17, 1938 3 SheetSSheet 2 /NVEN TOR JOSEP/7 S. LOSEE BY W@ ATTONEY Dec- 2, 1941- v J. s. LosEE 2,264,445

MILK TESTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 17, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 z 2L E J 26 D QU F l /Nl/NTOE FI 7 Juf/DH 5, 0555 Patented Dec. 2, 1941 MILK TESTING APPARATUS Joseph S. Losee. Hebron, lll., assignor to Losee Products Co., a corporation of Illinois Application October 17, 1938, Serial No. 235,463

5 Claims.

The present invention refers to means for testing milk at the receiving depots or otherwise and has for its object, definitely indicating in a simple and inexpensive manner the bacteria count in the milk tested.

Sanitary conditions on dairy farms and at milk depots have, in late years, received the serious attention of the authorities because it has beenfound to be difficult to continuously prevent the presence of a harmful bacteria count and therefore the present invention was evolved for the principal purpose of positively determining the bacteria count in milk upon its arrival at'the depot so the cause may be immediately remedied. f

It is frequently diicult to discover the presence of unsanitary conditions on a farm or the cause of milk contamination. It frequently happens that such conditions may readily be eliminated once the increase in bacteria is known.

The present-invention provides means whereby a small sample of each delivery made may be easily tested with definite results. Thus the dairy may be warned about the increased bacteria count and seek out and eliminate the conditions which caused the increase. A peculiar and serious aspect of the situation is that milk from a dairy farm varies considerably from one week to another and even from one day to another and for that reason every delivery of milk should be accurately tested.

An object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the samples may be quickly, accurately and cheaply tested by the ordinary laborer employed at receiving depots.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device which can be manufactured at low cost and which will be practically indestructible. f

To these and other useful ends my invention consists of parts, combinations of parts or their equivalents, and mode of operation, as hereinafter described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my -improved A device having the lid lifted or in'a position for removing or replacing the trays.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the device taken on line 2-2 of Figure 6. l

Fig. 3 is a section of the device taken on line 3-3 of Figure l.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the control box having the lid removed.

Fig. 5 is a fractional section of the device taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4. I v

Fig. 6 is a top view of the device as shown in Figure 1.

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of one of the tube holding cages illustrating the cover in section.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the motor and water propeller.

As thus illustrated, the container or tank of the device is designated in its entirety by reference character A and the lid is designated by reference character B. The motor and water circulating means attached thereto are designated in their entirety by reference character C and the control box in its entirety is designated by reference character D.

Member A comprises end panels III-I0 each having secured thereto carrying handles II-I I. The front panel is designated by reference numeral I2 and the rear panel by numeral I3. Each panel at its top is provided with an outwardly extending flange I4. The bottom panel of member A is designated by reference character I5.

I supply supporting pieces I6, these pieces being spaced as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 and extending entirely across the bottom of member A as illustrated in Figure 3 thus to stiien member I5 and act as a suitable supporting means for member A.

I provide a drain cock I'I in the bottom of member A and an overflow I8 thus to limit the water level in member A. Lid B comprises a top panel 20 having downwardly extending flanges ZI on the four sides thereof and being provided With an insulating sheet 22 and a retaining sheet 23. Lid B is also provided with a drip shield 24 thus if there is any moisture on member 23 when the lid is lifted, it will be caused to drain back into member A instead of passingdown around the outside of flange I4 and perhaps into hinge 25 by means of which the lid B is mounted on member A.

A further reason for supplying member 24 is to prevent drippings from striking the outside of member A as it will 'be noticed that flange 2| acts as a limit stop to the lid by contacting member I3 and therefore accumulation of moisture above nange 2| would finally escape down the outside surface of member I3 and perhaps reach the table on which the device is supported.

It will be noted by scrutinizing Figure 2 that member 23 isalso preferably provided with a downwardly extending ange which fits snugly against the lid flange 2| and that this member 23 will lie snugly on flange I4 thus to practically seal the interior of member A from the exterior when the lid is closed.

y are `temporarily placed "in iced Y roperator is ready to make the test.

tainers each in its entirety Ybeing designatedV by: reference character E comprising a bottomwire screen 26, a central and top wire grateV 21--21 being secured in spaced relation corner posts 28, the posts being extended downwardly ashort accumulation of cording to the size of member A, however I haveV Athe object being to move all of the water which vsurr)uni'ls ithe test tubes so each tube will bek held at the same temperature.

distance so as to hold member 2,6 away from the bottom of member A.

Members 21 are formed from straight vspaced pieces of wire longitudinal and transverse tothe container and positioned so as to provide room for `test tubes 29. there is provided room for six-rows of test tubes having", 10 tubes in each row `thus there is room in each containerfor 60test tubes and in the entire device for 24() tubes or tubes enough to test 240 different samples ofprnilk;

Thus as the milkisreceived, small quantities are taken from each and placed in a test tube to which'is' also added asuitable quantity of chemical for making what is calleda blue-test. The charged tubes'are placed in the containers which water until the It will., be assumed thatthe milk and chemical willrll the test tubeto line l30 (see Figure 2). Enough water is supplied to member A to reach line 3l, thus the top of the milk being tested will to thisheight by overflow tube i8." i Y While` making the test it is very necessary to protect against foreign matter reaching the milk be somewhat 'below the water line which is limited f in the 'test tubes. I therefore provide va stainless steel cover 32 having a downwardlyextendinglip 53 and a handle 34 lthe practice Vbeing to fill the test tubes and place them in the container before the lid. is placed over the top of .the tubes and then .the .container is placed ,in unit A.: Thus for examplgif it is necessary to remove one of the Y rear containers, thepdrlppings from thecontaner Y as itis moved over the top of unit Acannot reach the test tubes and anyforeign matter that might fall 4into'.member, A whilethe lid is lifted will therefore be kept ,from yre,ich ing the tubes.

nIlnit C is lsupported on a transverse channel 40 and comprsesvsuitable electric motorl havingV a number of reducing gears which terminate pref;

through member A by means of a paddle 4,3 which is suitably vsecurerl t0 shaft 44|.l the shaft having a flange 45 at Yits upper end and being drivenby pins 4,6` which "are secured to gear 42,Jthe Ypins being loosely embraced by openings in the iiange. v It will be seen that shaft 44will be driven by the vmotor but'- will Jbe flexibly and operatively connectedtlfi-ireto.k Flange 45'is adaptedto rest on the end of* bearing sleeve`f41. i In orderfr to properlyvlubricate vshaft 44, a well isform'e'd by means ofa circular ringk 48.`

Y 1I out a narrow slot 49Yinvthe'top Vedge of niem-V In the container .illustrated,l

tween members 45and 41. Y Y Y Member 43 at its ends is given a slight vrearward curve anda slight twist as illustrated in Figures 2; 3 and 8. The twist may bevaried'acof oilwill reach the shaft and the found that by positioning and shaping member 43 as illustrated in the various figures, the water will be caused to circulate downwardly, outwardly and then upwardly at the walls of' member A, then inwardly and downwardly to the propeller,

u `In tests of -this lnature withmy device it has `'been found necessary to circulate the water as described. Clearly it is possible to maintain an equal temperature within 1/2 of 1 degree Fahrenheit 'around each of the widely scattered test tubes.

" The means for automaticallymaintaining the desiredfwater temperature inthe device are .as follows:V 4A heating element which in fits entirety is designated by reference. character `F is pro:

vided, having a moisture sealed resister .therein and being provided with a head whichu is preferably screw Athreaded into'a flange fitting 55 having wires 51 and 58 one leading'to'althermally'controlled switch 59, this switch 'havingia' connection 6U vto a thermal element '5 I.

The thermal element is adaptedtofcausethe switch to open when the temperature ofthe water is above the desired point and yto close the switch when the temperature is 'belowthe .desired point thus to turn the heating element on and oir so as to Amaintain the desired temperature of the waterin'member A'. Switch 59 is connected to the source of electrical'supply by means `of arwire 68. Wire 58 leads from the switch to element F which in turn is connected to the source of4 electrical supply yby Vmeans-'of wire 51; Wires 68 and 51' are connected to motor C by means of wires 52 and 63. f Thusat intervals, necessary heat is supplied to the water and the motor C will cause blade 43 to continuously `circulate'v the water so 'as `to maintain an even temperature throughout the device. -rI may elect Y Y to connect motor C in multiple with heatingele4` ment F as illustrated by dotted lines in Figure 4 whereby the'motor will operate simultaneouslyY with element F; or motor C and 'element F may lbe designed for a series connection.'V

' I provide ra temperature indicator.64having'af Member D. comprises the projecting frame and a removably connection to 'a thermal element 65.-

secured lidV 66, the side walls of the frame being tapered'r at their rvtop and member 66 being erably in a ygeavli? which will be caused toturn at a suitable speed for circulating the water bery A4l andv place an annularifelt Washer 5l) in the space between members 41 and 4,8fthus when this washer 'isonce lubricated, a certainamount,VV

ing the instruments within this member.

adapted to extend Vover andl form a roof for member D so as to prevent any moistureV from reach- I`provide aremovable lid v61 for motor C which may be secured to the flanges of member 40 thusv to'protect the'motor against the possibility rof Vdrippings from the containers as theyV are re# moved'and4 replaced or drippings that might accumulate on lid B. Thus it will `be seenfthat by removing this lid, the motor Will be in full view of thefoperator' but when the lid is in place, rthe ture.

' motor 'will be protected against dust @015;

vAn opening in thefront of member 66 YisproL vided, whereby the temperatureindicator may be ,f observed without removing the lid.

l .As thus iuustrated, it will b seen than have provided a very eillcient:tankfandlid therefor; Y*

surface beeiiicient means for holding the .test tubes and protecting the milk and etlicient means for circulating the heated water Yand maintaining a iixed temperature therefor.

vThus when a certain number of test tubes have been charged and placed in the containers and the containers placed in member A, the'water having already been heated by means of the heating element, the milk will soon reach a temperature of 98.6 degrees or whatever temperature is found to be the most desirable and the milk having already been mixed with the proper quantity of methylene blue the bacteria count may easily be determined by the time element required to change the color of the milk as provided in the well known reductase test.

In making the reductase test, milk that turns white within 4 hours is considered as having an objectionable bacteria count. Thus it will be seen that with little effort on the part of the operator, definite information is available as to whether the milk is suitable for human consumption or not.

Each of the test tubes are preferably provided with a small area which is sand blasted thus when each individual tube receives the sample of milk to be tested, a proper sign or number can be placed on the tube indicating the dairy from which the milk came. Thus, by means of the reductase test, a complete record may be made as to the point where the milk turns white, the time element indicating the bacteria count.

Other tests may be made with the present device. For example, some other mixture may be used instead of methylene blue which would indicate the presence of some other harmful bacteria that might be present in the milk.

When a lower or higher temperature is required for the reductase or other tests, all that is necessary is to make a simple adjustment provided for in all thermal switches. Thus, clearly, my device is simple, easily and safely operated.

Clearly many minor detail changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as recited in the appended claims.

Having thus shown and described my invention, I claim:

1. Testing apparatus comprising a tank for a thermally sensitive liquid, motor means mounted within the upper portions of said tank, propeller means drivingly connected with said motor means and disposed medially in said tank in position for operation in a horizontal plane immersed in liquid in the tank so that, when the motor means is in operation, liquid may be circulated by the propeller means in said tank in all directions radially and downwardly of said propeller means, an electric heating element supported centrally in the lower portions of said tank adjacent said propeller means and in position to receive the direct ow therearound of liquid circulated by said propeller means, and a thermally responsive element disposed in said tank adjacent said heating element and propeller means for controlling the temperature of liquid in the tank.

2. Testing apparatus comprising a tank for a thermally sensitive liquid, a propeller disposed centrally within the tank in position for operation in a horizontal plane to circulate the liquid downwardly and outwardly in the tank, motor means mounted medially in the upper portions of the tank above the liquid and drivingly connected with said centrally disposed propeller for actuating the same, an electric heating element and a thermally controlled switch thereof, said switch and heating element being in heat exchange contact with said liquid for maintaining the liquid at a predetermined temperature, racks adapted to hold a. plurality of test tubes, said racks being positioned in said tank on opposite sides of said propeller to dispose the contents of test tubes in the racks wholly below the normal level of the liquid in the tank, and removable cover means adapted to cover and shield the open ends of the tubes in the racks.

3. Testing apparatus comprising an elongated,` relatively shallow tank for a thermally sensitive liquid, motor means mounted within the upper central portions of said tank, thereby affording zones within the tank on opposite sides of said motor means for the reception of test samples in position immersed in liquid in the lower portions of said tank, propeller means drivingly connected with said motor means and disposed medially in said tank in position to immerse in the liquid between said testing zones, said propeller means being mounted for operation in a horizontal plane so that, when the motor means is in operation, liquid may be circulated by the propeller means in said tank through said testing zones in all directions radially and downwardly of said propeller means, an electric heating element supported in said tank between said zones and adjacent said propeller means, and thermostatic means for controlling the delivery of energizing power to said heating element, said thermostatic means comprising a thermally responsive element disposed in said tank between said testing zones and adjacent said heating element and said propeller means, said heating element and said thermally responsive element being disposed in the path of liquid circulated in said tank by the action of said propeller means, whereby to maintain the circulating liquid at a substantially uniform temperature throughout the tank, including said testing zones.

4. Testing apparatus comprising a tank for a thermally sensitive liquid, motor means mounted within the upper portions of said tank, propeller means drivingly connected with said motor and disposed centrally in said tank, said propeller means being supported in position for operation in a horizontal plane immersed in the liquid so that, when the motor means is in operation, liquid may be circulated by the propeller means in said tank in all directions radially and downwardly of said propeller means, an electric heating element supported in said tank adjacent said propeller means, and thermostatic means for controlling the delivery of energizing power to said heating element, said thermostatic means comprising a thermally responsive element disposed in said tank adjacent said heating element and said propeller means, said heating element and said thermally responsive element being disposed in the path of liquid circulated in said tank by the action of said propeller means and said thermally responsive element being mounted suillciently close to the heating element as to be directly affected thereby to cause operation of the thermostatic means under the influence of heat delivered thereto by convection through liquid circulated by the propeller means and by heat received by direct conduction through the liquid disposed between the heater means and the thermally responsive element.

5. Testing apparatus comprising an elongated, relatively shallow tank for a thermally sensitive liquid forming a testing bath, motor means mounted within the upper portions of tank,

propeller'means drivingly ,connected withsaid motor andy v disposed centrallyin lsaid tank, said propeller 'means being supported in position for operation in a horizontal planey immersed in the liquid so that, when the motor means isV in operation, liquid may be circulated bythe propeller means in said tankin all ldirections radially and downwardlyvrof 4said .propeller means toward the bottom vof the tank, an electric heating element supported in said tank adjacent y.said propeller means, and thermostatic means for .controlling the. delivery of energizing power to said heating element, said thermostaticmeans comprising. a.y

thermally responsive ,elements disposed in said tank in heat exchange relationship with liquid circulated by said propeller means, said heating element and said thermally responsive element being disposed directly in the' path of liquid circulated in'said tank from said propeller means, whereby to maintain the circulating liquid at a substantially uniform temperature throughout the tank. Y Y

' JOSEPH SA. LOSE-E. 

